Machine for coating with metal.



1. POWANDA. EFOR coATlNG WITH METALL NIACHIN SIW lk (.I N am n f i as J. POWANDA.

MACHINE FOR COAATINGAWITH METAL. APPLICATION man Nov.1.`|s11.

Patented 1190.311918.

`2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IN VE/W? @se/19h Powanda l TTRNEYS Ansonia, in the county of New have invented a certain y orrron.

JOSEPH POWANJA, ANSONIA, CONNECTICUT.

MACHINE FOR COATING WITH METAL.

Application filed November 1, 191.7.

To all whom t may concern.

Be it known that I, JOSEPH POWANDA, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Haven and State of Connecticut, new and useful Improvement in Machines for Coating with Metal, of which the ollow-y in is a specification.

y invention relates to machinesfor coating sheetmetal but is particularly devised for tinning sheets on one side although capable of tinning sheets on both sides.

In order that my invention may be better understood by those skilled in the art I have embodied the same in a machine which not only comprises instrumentalities to eil'ectthe tinning operation proper, but also a bath for cleaning the-opposite side of the sheet and a, series of instrumentalities for washing,- drying and clipping the edges 'of the sheet, whereby the machine delivers the sheet in a condition ready for the market, either cut in lengths or reeled in coils. The detail mechanism embodying my invention for tinning the under side of the sheet may not only be utilized in my particular machine but also in tirning machines generally wherever applica le.

In the subjoined description the operation for tinning and finishing the sheets,

which will beparticularly described, is only intended to demonstrate one of the practical functions ofl the mechanism embodying` the features of the invention,

ln the drawings:

Figure l. is a longitudinal, sectional view of the machine;

figs. 2 and 3, enlarged longitudinal'and transverse sectional views of the mechanism for effecting the tinning operation;

Fig. fl, an enlarged transverse sectional i View taken on line .a-m in Fig. 1;

x in contact Fig. 5, a detailA transverse sectional view taken on line y-g/ in Fig. 4, an

Fig. 6, a detail transverse of the knives for .clipping the edges of the sheet.

The several parts of the machine are mounted in a suitable frame 2 which is supported on legs 3. The front end of the machine is provided'with a pair of feed rolls 4, 4 immediately beyond which is an acid brush 5 mounted to revolve in an acid receptacle 6. A. pair of rolls" 7', 7 serve to hold the sheet with the acid brush. Beyond the acid receptacle '6 is another pair of feed l Specication of Letters Patent.

sectional view v Patented nec. 31. reis.

serial no. leases'. i

rolls 8, 8 and beyondthese feed rolls is a receptacle 9 for the tinning bath in which the tin is kept in a molten conditionby the burners 10, 10 located beneath the bath. Ba

ond the tinning bath are two pair of feed rolls 11, 11 and 12, 12 between which is mounted a wiping brush 13., Beyond the feed rolls 12, 12 is a pair of scouring brushes 15, 15 mounted to revolve within a receptacle 16- for the cleaning bath. Beyond the recep.- tacle 16 is a pair of feed rolls 17, 17 and beyond, these feed'rolls are water pipes 18, 18`provided with suitable spray nozzles arranged in transverse alinement above and below the path of the sheet. lm mediatelybeyond. the spray nozzles is a pair of drying brushes 19, 19 and beyond the drying brushes are two pair of steam-heated rolls 20, 20 and 21, 21 between which are located upperand lower steam coils 22, 22 arranged respectively above and below the path of the sheet. Beyond the steam' rolls 21, 2,1, and arranged on each side of the sheet, is apair of circular knives 23, 23. The water pipes 18, 18 and drying brushes 19, 19 are suitably inclosed in a housing 24 and the steam coils 22 are suitably inclosed in an oven 25. i

The detail structure of my machine in which the tinning operation takes place, is shown in Figs. 2 and 3.. This mechanism is mounted on the frame between the feed rolls 8, S and 11, 11 respectively. The tinning. receptacle 9 is of a width greater than that ci? the widest sheetpto be tinned and suspended over the same arethe longitudinally' disposed shoes 26, 2G which are deliected upwardly at each extremity so that when their intermediatev portions are below the surface of the bath their extremities will profject' upwardly Outof the bath. These s hoes,

the upper and lower of the shafts 311, 34. These gripping rollers y are inclined to conform to the inclination of the shoes 26, 26 and when pressed toward the shoes co-act therewith to grip the edges of tween the grippin the sheet. Mounted on the `shaft 34, 34 berollers 33, 33 are the sheetdepressing ro 1ers 35, 35 which ma be inclined at. their outer extremities if desired to conform to the curvature of the sheet when the bodyr portion of thelatterv is depressed as shown in Fi 3. I have only shown two depression ro 1ers but any number may be emplo jed. The shafts V34, 34 are j ournaled to revo ve in the lower extremities of the hangers 36, 36 which depend from the forward and rearextremities of the side arms 37, 37 lwhich latter are carried by the cross beam 38 attached to the lonwer extremity of the rack 39 which` meshes with the Einion 40. The i. rack 39 passes through ushings in the cross girders .41 and 42, con'- necting the uprights 43, 43 mounted on the frame 2 of the machine. The pinion-40 ismounted on a shaft 44.journaled in the'uprights 43, 43, Mounted on one extremity of the shaft 44 is a sprocket 45 which is connected to the sprocket 46 by the chain 47 whereby the rack vand pinion may be operated to raise and lower the grippmgi'ollers 33, 33 and depression rollers'35, 35. When these rollers are depressed they force 'down the shoes 26, 26 andwhenthey are elevated the shoes, by virtue of the elevating action of the Isprings 32, 32 follow the rollers Out of the bath toa position immediately belowl the plane of the normal path of the sheet where they are -held by thegstops v48', 48.

mounted on the-standards 31, 31, while Vthe gripping and depression rollers continue to rise farther upwardly to a position some disf dtance above the path lot the sheet. Between the forward end of the tinning receptacle 9 and the feed rollers 11,11 is mounted a dri ping or wiping brush 48`-against w'hicht e underside of the sheet is pressed by a depression roller 49 mounted on-the shaft 50 carried by the lower extremitiesof theracks 51, 51 which are raised and lowered by the pinion 52 carried by the shaft 53 journaled in the upright154, 54 on the side 'of the frame. The reel: 51 passes through 'bushL ings in the cross girders 55,55 connectmg the `uprights 54, 54.

- In tinnmg machines generally throughwhich a sheet is fed by guiding rolls it has always been necessary when starting the sheet to carry its front edge through the machine by manually manipulatedv means to prevent the forward edge or headf the sheet from dropping down between the various sets df 'feed rolls. One way has been devised to carry Vthe head of the sheet from one set of rolls to the other automaticallyr which consists of devices propelled by endi less socket chains, which devices carry the forward edge or head of the sheet, a particular instance being shown kin the patent granted to C. G Roberts, Jan.` 17, 1905, No. 780,383, Devices of this character necessiguideways 56,y 56 disposed in the normal sheet, which the machine is tol take, itfisl 4necessary that the slotted ways.' be

tate-the employment of a complex train of mechanism and also considerable time Vin attaching the same to 4and detaching the same fromvthe sheet. I overcome these disadvantages by employing a mechanism which automatically picks up the head of thel sheet as it enters the machine .and automatically releases the same as it leaves the machina without the necessity `of any attachments or adjustments with the exception of 'that required in'settingthe machine generally to different widths 'o'f'sheets My preferred form of this mechanism is shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, consists of slotted plane of the traveling sheet so that the edges ofthe latter move in the slots. Theseslotted ways are mounted on standards, 57, 57 carried by the .cross girders 58 disposed at in- "teryals along the .frame of the machine Wherevernecessaryv to support the guidef ways. Thes'tandards 57' on the left hand Side of the machine are carried by shoes 59 'which slide in'channels 60 inthe girders 58. Theseshoes 59 are carried by's'crew thread1 ed rods 61 operatedfby the .bevel gears 62 so that the movement of the shoes 59and the conseuent transverse adjustmentjo thel y slotte ways56 ma #be regulated from 'a 'shaft 63 journaled a on the side of the -machine as shown in Fig. Ifldesired a trans" verse ad'ustment of .the'ways156 on the right hand si e of the'machine may be effected in -a like manner. "An adjustment of the wayson .one side alone, however,"is -all that is- 4essential to enable them. to accommodate different widths-of sheets Since the length of some of "the various brushes o y at intervals on the surfaces of e sheet should be equal to the width of the widest rupted to enable thesel brushes -to contact with-the full -Widthl of the sheetespecially when the'slotted ways are moved inwardly to accommodate narrow sheets. Where the brush operates on one side of .the sheet'1 aloiie as is the case of'theflux'ingbrush4 5 the under'half of the slotted w'ays 56 is cut away leaving the upper half to bridge the interval. Where` a pair of brushes are emi ployed, however, operating'on opposite surfaces of the sheet `at-'the same point, asis the case with the scouring brushesl, 15

andthe drying brushes19, 19, it is necessary that the ways should Vbe interrupted entirely leaving an'opening forbot-h brushes to contact with the side edges of the sheet."

In such a case the continuity ofthe wav-,is preserved by means of bridges 64. the exception of the. interval between feed rolls 8. 8 and 11, 11 .these slotted lwliy's control and`maintain the direction of the .sheet between all of the 'feed rolls by pick-- ing the same up at a point behind the first' 180 erating l: 101;'

ill-10 slots in' thejvays are l treinities 'as shown .point mensen set e'rolle :and deliveringl the saine at a cleseufp in ronto t e succeeding' set and lower walls of the flared at their front 'exthat they will present a threat or open lips at points immediately behind eaclrset ci feed rolls for the purpose of rolls.' -The upper o catching the "front edge of the sheet should l pressed downwardly,

jot' the sheet as 1s slightly upwardly or do'wnwai'diy out o its normal path. In the interval between the feed rolls where it is necessary for the sheet to dip or be deas is'the case when, it passes through the cleaning bath in the res ceptacle 1.6, the ways may be inclined downwardly and upwardly to guide the sheet into the latter be swun and out of the bath. When this circuitous travel et the' sheet 4is effected by the ways .it sometimes 'necessary to widen the slots for the purpose of controlling vthe direction shown immediately beyond the feed rolls l2, 12. rWhile l have shown ythese guides for controlling the ydirection and maintaining the elevation of the head of thesheet as consisting of slotted ways I may employ any other suitable devices which are adapted to engage and control the its screw threads -ing through the vshaft may be operated by a crank wheel 66 marginal edges of the sheet in alike manner. When adjusting the 'ways 5,6 to accommo date diii'erent widths of sheets it is also necessary to likewise adjustthe shoes 26 which take thel place `of the ways in controlling the head of the sheet when it' passes over the tinning receptacle, Like the left hand ways 56, the left hand shoes 26 may be adjusted transversely-of the machine yby means of a screwfthreaded shaft 29 passlefrt hand hanger 28. This from theright hand side of the that vwhen the shaft is revolved operate in the internal screw threads in the hanger after the manner projecting machine so -of a .worm and gear 'thereby causing the hanger to advance. and recede along the shaft carrying with it the shaft 34 on which is journaled the `grip ing and depression rollers. The circular rnives 23, 23 on the left hand side of the machine may be adjusted transversely by moving-the bolted .collars 66, 68 to which they are attached. The operation of my machine is as follows: rlfhe front edge of the sheet, which 'may either be a short sheet of a reeled sheet, is inserted between the first'set of feed rolls It, et, 'the machine having first been set for the proper width and the driving mechanism started. The forward .dge of the shet then passes between-the slotted guides 56, 56 over the iiuxing brush 5 against which it is depressed by the rollers 7, 7 and is iinally picked up by the feed rolls 8, 8, the advanc ing by both s'ets of the feed rolls. The forward edge is then advanced over the forward exface of thegbath, the

-feed rolls 12, 12,

' 14. 14. The sheet movement of the sheet being now caused'- 'treniities of the guide shoes have been raised to a position to receive the sheet as it comes from between the'feed rolls 8, 8. The sheet then advances over the, tinning receptacle 9, its direction being controlled by the guide shoes until its forward edge is shot over the top of the brush 4:8 into the 'feed rolls 1l, 11. lVithout stopping the machine the grippingand depression rol ers 33, and 35,-which have been held elevated until the sheet is picked up by the feed rolls 11, 11,V are then depressed through medium of the rack 39 and gear 40 by turn ing the crank sprocket 46 so'that the marginal portions of the sheet are warped and heldin close engagement with the shoes 26, 26. The 'gripping and depressionv rollers are then further lowered, pushing down the guide shoes 26, 26 against .the action of the springs 32, 32 in the standards 31, 31 until theinner edge of the shoes is below the surouter edgesremaining above the surface of the bath. In`this position it is apparent from reference to Fig. 3 that the side edges of the sheet are held in'a,

position above the surface of the tinning' bath while the body portion of the sheet is depressed into the bath surface of the sheet, with the exception of a very narrow portion edge, is sub3ected to thev action of the bath so ythat no portion of the tinning solution, top surface of the.

position where it will hold the sheet in contact with the strapingA or wiping roll 48, which latter revolves rearwardly, or in a direction opposite to the hands of a clock, so

The forward end of the sheet from the feed rolls 11, 11 to the its kside edges passing through the slots inthe guideways 56 and its under 'surface being subjected to the action of the wiping brush 13 against which the sheet ispressed by the pressure rollers then passes from the feed rolls 12, 12 to the feed rolls 17` 17. between the scouring brushes 15,15 which operate on both sides of the sheet below the surface of a ceptacle 9. then Apasses y c vand of potassium bath.` The bath is below the normal plane of travel 0f the sheet and' the slotted guide ways direct the sheet'downwardly in front of the scouring brushes and upwardly in the rear of the scouring brushes instead of directing the sheet horizontally above the bath. The sheet is in this manner subjected to a scouring operation which removes any discolorations from its untnned surface. from the feed rolls 17, 17 to the 'steam rolls The sheet then passes- 26, ,26 which the-i so that the bath I comes in Contact with the under side of the' sheet only.' In this manner the entire under. 96

along each marginal `as toithrow the surplus tin back into the re- 2()7 20 between which sets of rolls it is suby jected to the action of the water sprays directed upwardly and downwardly against both surfaces of the sheet from the ipes 1.8, 18. The sheet is4 also subjected to t e action ofthe drying brushes 19, 19 which also act on both surfaces of` thelsheet.v The sheet then passesfrom the steam rolls 20, 20 to the steam rolls 21, 21 between the upper and lower coils 22 inthe oven 24 and thereby becomes thoroughly dried. The sheet .then passes from the steam rolls 21, 21 to the circular knives 23, 23 which clip olf the` margina] edges. The sheet is then delivered -to a table 70 or to a reel according to the manner desired In order to practically tin sheet metal by means of a bath it is essential that the temperature of the sheet should be raised to a point near to that of the bath before it leaves the bath and that this temperature should be maintained until the wiping of the sheet has been effected` for if the temperature of to tin a cold sheet, the'sheet will Aas the sheet is considerablylower than that f .the bath,vor in other words if it is attempted pick up dross from the surface of the bath and will cool the coating of tin and destroy the elect of the wiping operation. In-m'y machine I am enabled'to raise the temperature of the sheet to the ,desired degree by prolonging its travel through the bath, that is, instead of the sheet traveling around a large single drum into and out jof the bath I provide a'.

' operation lfor 'tmmng the under side of the series of rollers spaced at intervals, the num ber of whichcan be increased or decreased',

as desired, which rollers give the sheet a `travel through the bath in a horizontal direction' for any distance desiredand' in this manner the sheet may be kept inc contact with the bath f or a suiiicient period to enable 1t toapproach the temperature of the y bath. In this manner I .eliminate the accumulation of dross on the sheet and permit the wiping brushes 'to'effect a proper distribution `ol the tin after the sheet leaves the bath. This is a very important feature of my invention since ordinarily the running of a relatively cold sheet into and out of a bath, without provisionbeing made for raising the temperature of the sheet, turns out an imperfect product. The heating of the sheet due to its contact with the bath causes .a discoloration of its untinned4 surface and to remove this discoloration I employ a bath of cyanid of potassium, or

any other suitable character of bath for the same purpose.. I prefer. however, a bath of cyanid of potassium since the latter not only eectivelv removes the discoloration but does not affect the tinned surface,'th ere by enabling the sheet to be immersed-with in the bath while subjected to th 'action of :the scouring brushes. The water sprays eifectively wash the cyanid bath off thelsurall the 4necessary operations are performed,

Which are incident to the tinning of the The shearing sheet so that it is not necessary, as is the custom, to employ' different machines for performing'these operations, and where-1t 1s not intended to further finish the sheet,

such as polishing and bufling the same, the product of the 'machine is ready for the market. It should be further noticed that the adjustment of the variousiparts to accommodate the machine to sheets of various widths can be effected very speedily and with great accuracy by turning .the'crank wheels disposed alongr the sides of the machine. The bent marginal portions of the sheet caused by the gripping instrumentalil ties during the tinning voperation are sub` sequently smoothed out by the feed rolls.' In' the embodiment 'of my invention disclosed herein I have shown the machine in Q Having now described my invention what'l I claim and desire to protect 'my Letters 1. A machine for plating sheet Ametal wherein a bath is maintained in contact with In such a case' it' one surface of an advancing sheet characterized by the fact that means are provided for holding the side edges of that'k portion of the sheet which is in contactwith the bath above the surface of' the bath.

2. In a machine for plating sheet metal on one side a plating bath, means forguiding an advancing sheet into and out of the bath and guide shoes for holding the side edges" of the sheet above the surface ofthe i 3. In a machine of the class wherel plating bathl is maintainedv in vContact with one surface of an advancing sheet. a pair of oppositely arranged guide shoes provided with sheet-engaging surfaces which are in plating bath, means for supporting the side edges of the sheet above thesurface 4of the the suit'aceof the bath and vertically ad ljustalile guide rollers for engaging the topA bath and oppositely arranged guide rollers for engaging the top surface oi the sheet, the said guide rollers having their surfaces inclined downwardly and inwardly -in a diret-tion transverse t'o'tlie'travel of the sheet,

6. In a machine for plating sheet metal a plating bath, means .for supporting the edges of the sheet above the surface 'of the bath and means for depressing the body" portion of the sheet'. into the bath.

'7. In a machine of the class wherein ai plating hath is maintained in conta-ct', with one surface of an advancing sheet', oppositel'v disposed and transversely adpistable means for holdingr the side edges ofthe sheetA above the surface of the bath.

'8. In a machine wherein a plating bath is maintained iii contact with' one surface ot an advancing sheet, vertically adjustableV means fol' holding the gid@ edges oi' the sheet above the surface of the bath. 1

9. In a machine for plating sheet i'netal on one side a plating hath, vieldinglv supported guide shoes foi-'holding the side edges oi' a traveling sheet above the bath during its passage throughy the bath and means for depressing tlie guide shoes toward the liatli.

l0. In a machine oi' the class wherein a plating' bath is maintained in contact with for holding the side edges of the sheet. above surface of the'slieet. v-

ll. In a machine ot' the class wherein a.

traveling metallic .sheet is subjected to the action ot' a plating bath shoes and rollers arranged to (zo-act along the side edges oi the sheet For guiding the sheet during its travel through the bathv` the said shoes and rollers heilig separable from each other to receive the sheet.

lf2. In'a machine t'or plating sheet metal on one side a plating bath, yieldingly sup- A ported guide shoes for holding the side edges of the sheet above the bath during the travel of the Sheet through the bath and guide rollers arranged to press the .edges of the' sheet against the guide shoes.

A machine wherein sheet material is advanced characterized by the fact that ver# tically adjustable guides are provided at' Ysufficiently frequent intervals to support the marginal edges of the sheet leaving'one face of the body portion exposed between the portions of its marginal edges which are engaged by said guides;

14. A machine for plating sheet metal wherein a bath is maintained in contact withA one Surface of an advancing sheet characterized by the fact that means are provided for bending upwardly the marginal edges of the sheet andl depressing tliebody por- 1 tion of the sheet below the level' of the bath but maintaining the side edges of the sheet i in' a position above the level of the bath.'

l5; A machine `for plating sheet metal wherein a bath is maintained in contact with one surface fof the advancing sheet charactei-ized by the fact that means are provided t'or bending upwardly the marginaledges ot' the sheet and depressing thel body portion of the sheet below the level of the bath but maintaining the side edgesof the sheet in a vposition above the level of the bath, and fur? ther charafffirizedby the fact that meansV are provided or'rolling out the bent marginal edges of the sheet.

1T; In a machine wherein the'platin bathis maintained in `contact' with one sur ace of an advancing sheet, opposltely disposed means for holding the side edges of the i sheet above the surfaceA of the bathA and means for simultaneously adjustingsaid' Haven and State of Connecticut, this l30th A day of October, A. D. 1917.

, JOSEPH PoWANDA. 

